The line stretched down the street and around City Hall. Even Santa and Mrs. Claus were on hand to greet the kids, while members of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club were spreading just about all the Christmas cheer the kids could handle.

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"We have more than 800 bicycles and more than 2,500 toys," said Zulu President Naaman Stewart. "We'll be able to serve well over 1,500 children today alone," he said.

Council chambers looked more like Santa's workshop. The corridors of City Hall were lined with new bikes as far as the eye could see. Kids from across the city were invited to participate.

Even though the event has moved from Zulu's Mid-City headquarters, the focus was on children from that neighborhood.

"A lot of the children are from around the Zulu Club area. We canvas the neighborhood to invite the children to participate," Stewart said.

The kids may not have gotten any toy soldiers but they did get a chance to see a few good men and women. The Marine Corps collected toys for months to contribute to the giveaway. Their jobs are not only to protect freedom but to spread good will this time of year.

"Many of the children I think this may be one of the few presents they get this Christmas," said Lt. Gen. Richard Peter Mills. "So times are hard, we understand that. It's a chance to show that we care. To show them that we want to give something back to the community. To show what the Marine Corps can do not only in war but also in peace," Mills said.

The event takes months of planning and hours of setup to make sure it goes off without a hitch.

"We get here at 4 a.m. to start setting up and get everything together," said Zulu member James Harris. "We start at 8 a.m."

No child was left empty-handed. The president of the Zulu Club says the only thing that comes close to their events at carnival time is being able to help out hundreds of kids at Christmas time.